best way to decide between putters you like?

[Jbowdown]

I dont know. Maybe I will resort to a bikini contest next.

Banger-GT or Ion? Hmmm, which one....

 

[Technohic]

Banger-GT or Ion? Hmmm, which one....

Wow! Judging from the size of the discs, that girl is tiny! I dont know about planes, but I'd be spinning her like a hellicopter.

 

[Jbowdown]

They're the super-secret 12" diameter super class molds!! They weigh in at 230g a piece!

 

[bikinjack]

Wow! Judging from the size of the discs, that girl is tiny! I dont know about planes, but I'd be spinning her like a hellicopter.

Looks like a Hobbit to me.

 

[Caldwell5161]

For me, putting is all about confidence. If I have confidence that I am going to make the putt then I am a fantastic putter. So what it comes down to is the putter that I am most familiar with, that feels best in my hand, that I have confidence in going in the basket every time I grab it out of my bag. Thus, I think the exact putter that you use is irrelevant and the confidence that it instills in your mind is the pivotal aspect.

I throw a nicely beat in star aviar driver (big bead) and have putted with it for my entire disc golf career and I don't think I could ever change nor would I want to.

 

[therealbigtrav]

She stole my Ion! I threw a Wizard, then switched to a soft Magic, and now use an Ion and haven't looked back all year. It's all about what you're comfortable/confident with. Ion works for me.

 

[solomon.trenton]

Just get a bigger bag and carry them all. Problem solved.

exactly. all putters and and drivers

 

[Caldwell5161]

exactly. all putters and and drivers

This is also the truth. I also carry a challenger for an approach 220-270 feet as my star aviar dies at 220. And I carry an esp zone for flicks.

 

[Jbowdown]

But in all seriousness, I did have to make a choice between the Banger and the Ion about 2 months ago (Even started a thread about it). I'm a spin/snap putter and I personally think the Banger is one of the best discs designed for that purpose. The groove top gives it the worn in feel of an older putter while providing a grip point between my thumb and my middle finger. Since I don't push/loft putt I generally am looking for something different than many of the other putters I know who think push putting is the perfect form sent down from God to personally improve their putting!

I tried the Soft Ion for 3 months as my primary putter and it never clicked like the Banger did inside 10m. I just couldn't get a consistent grip with it.

Although, if I had to choose between the discs in the picture, I'd choose the two red putters at the bottom!

 

[hewittdallas]

I also went through the putter dilemma over the first several months of playing DG and the Banger, Wizard, and Ridge also made my short list. Here were my thoughts.

Banger GT
I committed the most to the Banger and owned it in every plastic. It was one of the best upshot discs I have owned and was a decent putting putter as well. The groove was awesome for putt and approach, but I didn't really like how it affected my grip on drives.

Wizard
Wizards had the best flight characteristics of the bunch. You can putt, approach, and drive with equal confidence. I believe it is the most versatile disc on your list as evidenced by the tons of players who have them in their bags. My only issue was the bead. I just don't like them.

Ridge
The rubber of the Ridge feels awesome in X-Link. However, I never got past the "Vibram drop" as many people have called it. Maybe with more time, I would have overcome this problem, but it was very noticeable. In addition, it will not hold an anny nearly as well as the others.

In the end, I ended up with a Voodoo because it's basically a broken in Wizard without the bead. Feels amazing, flies similar to the Wizard, and comes in the awesome Gateway plastics.

 

[phayes]

I went with the wizard. Why? Because I have Orcs and Wraiths in my bag, and Gandalf alone can keep them in check.

 

[Garret H]

I threw a Magnet for a while and never liked it -- today, I bought a DX Aviar at the suggestion of the guy at the store and I love it. Went out today and nailed a 50' putt straight in the chains and it stayed put. I like the feel and the versatility -- easy to throw at any distance and it holds a nice straight line with lots of glide. And, it only cost about 7 bucks....but, everyone's feel is different. I really think it is up to which feels best to you. When I got the Magnet, I could instantly see that it was not going to work -- every putt I was releasing way too early and the grip just wasn't working for me. With this Aviar, it is the opposite -- I loved it immediately.

So, line them all up -- throw each one at the practice hole from 3 different distances; whichever you think does the job at each distance is the one you pick. If you can't see a difference, I really don't think it matters. Then the next step is a rousing game of eeny-meeny-miny-mo.

Garret

 

[veek]

Put them all up for trade, which ever one your left with is the one.

 

[garublador]

Any ideas how I can give the different putters to show what sets them apart?

I'd pick the one that you can throw the farthest the easiest. If they all putt and approach well enough to make it hard for you to decide which to throw (which isn't a surprise), then distance is the next deciding factor.

 

[Technohic]

I'd pick the one that you can throw the farthest the easiest. If they all putt and approach well enough to make it hard for you to decide which to throw (which isn't a surprise), then distance is the next deciding factor.

Sounds like a plan at this point. I've been out practicing witht he practice basket and moving around the yard, trying to get higher and lower putting, anhyze and hyzer approaches all in between running the kids to different things today so far, and I like them all about the same.

I do know though, that it throws me off on one when it follows another as the Ions like a little more spin then the others, the Ridge likes a little more height, so I think its going to be a good thing to finally make a decision; I just didnt realise it would be this hard.

 

[discspeed]

I prefer the medium Ion. It holds spin longer and goes farther for me than any of the others and this is not coincidence as the overmold allows it to have the most weight distributed to the outside. Out of all the putters you mentioned it is by far the best at the dead straight shot. It is also GREAT at anhyzers and hyzers within 300'. As long as you don't need an S turn, the Ion does exactly what you tell it to do. You also don't have to worry about the Ion ever separating...They are mechanically and chemically bonded. None of the other putters are as good at the 3 main lines (straight, anny, hyzer) out of the box, and you will go through several Bangers/Wizards while your Ion will stay the same a long, long time. The Ridge is a poor finesse disc, and I don't understand why you would want a putter without glide. The only downside I see for the Ion is that it currently is only available in a champion style plastic. Baseline plastic does grip better in the hand and stay in the chains a little better. In my opinion this is a small downside compared to all the advantages of the Ion. I believe they will have a baseline putter at sometime as well.

 

[Technohic]

Well; the Ion is starting to be the front runner again after I cant tell you how many putts. It's like I said earlier, that if it wasnt for the spit outs I was seeing with the Ion, it would run away with it, and Im starting to see what it is I'm doing thats causing that spit out and its not the Ions fault; because when I do it with the other discs, they will slide through also.

What I've been doing to cause it is; having it hit the right side of the pole wth a hyzer angle and it will just slide through. If I flatten it out just a little bit, it doesnt seem to be a problem. I can still keep a hyzer line going a bit, just cant go as extreme.

BTW; anyone else ever get sore in their lower left back when doing a lot of putting practice? Im starting to get a slight "cramp" right around the lower back and left hip.

 

[BrotherDave]

BTW; anyone else ever get sore in their lower left back when doing a lot of putting practice? Im starting to get a slight "cramp" right around the lower back and left hip.

How are you putting, stagger or straddle? Either way, it's probably coming from you bending over to pick up discs all the time. It's easier on your back and spine if you bend your knees to pick stuff up off the ground but you look weird doing it that way.

 

[agent_peebody]

Well; the Ion is starting to be the front runner again after I cant tell you how many putts. It's like I said earlier, that if it wasnt for the spit outs I was seeing with the Ion, it would run away with it, and Im starting to see what it is I'm doing thats causing that spit out and its not the Ions fault; because when I do it with the other discs, they will slide through also.

What I've been doing to cause it is; having it hit the right side of the pole wth a hyzer angle and it will just slide through. If I flatten it out just a little bit, it doesnt seem to be a problem. I can still keep a hyzer line going a bit, just cant go as extreme.

BTW; anyone else ever get sore in their lower left back when doing a lot of putting practice? Im starting to get a slight "cramp" right around the lower back and left hip.

i get that pain in my lower back, exactly where you describe it...it's probably from picking your discs up like Diesel said. when you pick them up, do you stand on one leg or bend and stand on both?

 

[solomon.trenton]

i do the golf ball pickup